What Is Scouting?
History of the Boy Scouts
Scouting came to America because a boy did a Good Turn — an act of kindness for which he expected no reward. It happened many years ago on the foggy streets of London, England, when an American named William D. Boyce lost his way. A boy walked up and asked if he could be of assistance.
Mr. Boyce explained where he wanted to go. The boy led him to his destination, but when Mr. Boyce offered to give him some money, the boy said, "No, thank you, sir. I am a Scout. I won't take anything for helping."
William Boyce was so impressed by the boy's kindness that he met with Lord Robert Baden Powell, the founder of the Boy Scouts in Great Britain. He liked what Baden-Powell told him, and he knew that boys in the United States would want to be Scouts, too.
On February 8, 1910, Mr. Boyce and a group of businessmen, educators, and political leaders founded the Boy Scouts of America (BSA). Scouts celebrate February 8 as the birthday of the BSA.
No one knows what happened to the boy who guided Mr. Boyce through the London fog, but he will never be forgotten. Like many acts of kindness, what was done proved to be far more significant than who did it. The boy's Good Turn helped bring Scouting to America and make history.